Myrothamnus flabellifolius
Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record (Click here to see images of this plant from Kyffhäuser)
Image 1
Habit
30 Apr 2011
Image 2
Leaves (wet season)
30 Apr 2011
| Family: | Myrothamnaceae |
| Full name: | Myrothamnus flabellifolius Welw. |
| ID status: | Fairly certain |
| Afrikaans common name(s): | Opstandingsplant, Teebossie, Wonderbos, Sinkingsbos |
| English common name(s): | Resurrection bush, Resurrection plant, Bush tea |
| Synonym(s): | Cliffortia flabellifolia Sond. Myrothamnus flabellifolius Welw. subsp. elongata Weim. uncertain synonymy. Myrothamnus flabellifolius Welw. subsp. robusta Weim. |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: | Prostrate, ascending or erect subshrub, growing up to 1 m, occasionally taller. The plants completely dry up in winter and seem to be dead (image 4) but spring back to life within hours after the first shower of rain (image 1). Flowers much reduced in small catkin like inflorescences, sexes separate (image 2). (from Flora of Zimbabwe website) A prostrate, ascending or erect shrub, much branched, usually 30–90 cm tall (stated to grow up to 2 m); young branches tetragonous, the angles narrowly winged; branches soon becoming woody and subspinulose with the persistent stipules and petioles; older branches with bark fissuring longitudinally. Leaves decussately disposed along fast-growing long branches or congested on lateral short branches. Leaf-laminae (8)10–14(20) x (3)6–8(15) mm, d: rhombic, the apex (3)5–7(ll)-crenate-dentate, the base entire and cuneate, digitately nerved (nerves sometimes 2-furcate near the apex), closely longitudinally pleated when dry, articulated with the petiole; petiole (1)2–3(5) mm long, subvaginate; stipules subulate, connate with the petiole at the base and exceeding it by 1–3 mm. Inflorescences usually 2–3 cm long, rarely up to 5 cm, terminal on the lateral short branches; each flower sessile in the axil of a single, elliptic to ovate, usually obtuse bract 1.2–1.8 x c. 1.0 mm; bracts persistent after flower- and fruit-fall; female inflorescences stouter than the male . male flowers reduced to (3)5–6(?8) stamens; filaments filiform and connate at the base into a central column; anthers oblong, reddish, after dehiscence presenting an asymmetric X-shaped cross-section; connective prolonged into a short, curved beak. Female flowers zygomorphic, reduced to (2)3 green carpels connate only at the base and tapering into short, outwardly curved styles presenting purple, oblong, inwardly facing stigmas. Capsule coriaceous with carpels somewhat enlarged, deeply (2-)3-lobed, crowned by the persistent styles and stigmas. Seeds c. 0.5 mm long., ovoid to tetragonal. (from JSTOR website / Flora Zambesiaca) |
| Link(s) |
African Plant Database
JSTOR Plant Science Kew Herbarium Catalogue BGBM Berlin-Dahlem - Virtual Herbarium Züricher Herbarien iSpot: 157886 Flora of Zimbabwe Fleurs de notre Terre - Galerie Namibie Tree Atlas of Namibia |
| Content last updated: | 01 Sep 2012 |
